Mounting pressure for Education Minister Sam Ongeri and PS Karega Mutahi to resign over a multi-million financial scam is degenerating into a turf war between the two coalition partners — ODM and PNU.

Observers say the saga is likely to spill over to the expected by-elections in South Mugirango after a High Court decision to nullify Omingo Magara’s election in 2007. When Prime Minister Raila Odinga joined the protracted saga by urging Ongeri to step aside pending investigations, many supported the calls.

But it soon turned into a political contest pitying ODM legislators against PNU MPs. Back in Kisii, local MPs — save for George Nyamweya, Walter Nyambati and Wilfred Ombui who felt the PM’s calls targeted the Gusii community — went against the grain leaving Ongeri vulnerable.

"To say that we must support one of us is missing the point. This is not about Ongeri or Raila. The bottom line is that all of us need to be accountable wherever we are," says Foreign Affairs Assistant Minister Richard Onyonka.

Onyonka, who is also Kitutu-Chache MP, maintains it would be prudent for Ongeri to step aside pending investigation.

"The problem will only arise if he is found culpable. But if proved innocent he should be allowed to continue as Minister for Education."

Dismissing views that Raila is out to silence the Gusii community leadership by ensuring those in high offices are indicted, Onyonka says the fight against corruption is critical and should not be linked to tribalism.

On fears the PM could be burning his political bridges in Kisii, he says: "I wish to state that the PM is not burning his bridges in Kisii. He never started the probe against Ongeri in the first place. Ongeri has his own position in the community." The embattled Ongeri is perceived as the senior-most politician in Kisii after the eclipse of former Cabinet Minister Simeon Nyachae. The other key figure is Public Works Minister Chris Obure, who is an ally of the PM.

In the wake of the FPE saga, six MPs from Kisii, including Robert Monda (Nyaribari-Chache - Narc), James Gesami (West Mugirango - ODM), Charles Onyancha (Bonchari - ODM), Simon Ogari (Bomachoge - ODM), Nyambati (Kitutu-Masaba - NLP), Ombui (North Mugirango - Kanu) and Onyonka sought audience with the PM at his office.

Obure did not attend the meeting.

"We did not go there to persuade him to let Ongeri stay but wanted him to table evidence against the minister to back his calls for him to step aside," Ombui told The Standard on Sunday in an interview.

He says his colleagues who have supported Raila’s calls have done so not because Ongeri is guilty but because they do not want to contradict their party leader. He claims the PM failed to table any evidence linking Ongeri to the scandal and promised to call them back.

"Those joining the calls for the resignation of Ongeri do not know what is going on," he says. The former Nyaribari-Chache MP Simeon Nyachae wonders why there is pressure for the minister to resign when President Kibaki has ordered Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission to probe the scam.

Nyambati, who is allied to PNU, claims Raila wants to position his cronies in Nyanza to push his agenda in the 2012 General Election, and his calls for Ongeri’s resignation have nothing to do with war against corruption.

"Raila can’t just go for Ongeri’s neck and yet it is clear that individuals signed against the lost funds. The said officers can be directly held responsible," he asserts. He says if the PM has nothing personal against Ongeri as he has stated, then he should have waited for investigations to be completed. "How come he never acted on those implicated on the maize scam before or even after a probe report was out?" he poses.

Monda, who is allied to ODM, cautions leaders should not be arm-twisted to toe the line, especially on matters such as free primary education scam. "We are elected by the people and there is growing concern that Raila is out to suppress those not singing his song," he argues.

He says the PM should have first sought audience with Gusii leaders before going public with calls for the minister’s sacking.  "How the PM handled the whole saga clearly indicates he was bent on embarrassing Ongeri in the eyes of the public, as he portrayed him as a guilty person," he says.

Raila’s call for Ongeri to step aside comes at a time the Nyaribari-Masaba MP met 157 councillors from all the 11 civic authorities in Kisii, majority elected on ODM ticket.

It later emerged ODM councillors did not have party permission to attend the meeting. Observers now say the saga at the Ministry of Education could have a huge bearing on the pending South Mugirango by-election. Despite being ODM national treasurer, the party leadership denied Magara direct nomination, insisting he must face others for the ticket.

But sources confided in The Standard on Sunday there was change of heart and Magara might be accorded automatic nomination. "Yes we have been assured that he will be given direct nomination but Magara should be careful on this as it may be a wider scheme to keep him so he will have nothing to cling on," warns Nyambati.

It is understood Kisii MPs had agreed to support one of their own in the by-election. "We don’t want to appear like we are dictating issues for the South Mugirango people but it is fair to give Magara direct nomination," says Gesami.